ai4bharat/Pralekha huggingface dataset:
Ministry of Defence
Development Trials of Astra BVR-AAM Completed Successfully
A series of flight trials of Astra Beyond Visual Range Air-to-Air Missile  was conducted by Indian Air Force during September 26 to October 03, 2018 at Integrated Test Range , Balasore as part of final development trials of the missile.
The trials were a combination of complex tests for engagement of pilotless target in different modes of manoeuvring, off-boresight, medium and long ranges. The missiles were telemetered for evaluation of online performance of all sub-systems especially the datalink, RF seeker and proximity fuse for end-game performance. Astra has been tested six times under different launch conditions and ranges as part of the final development trial. The missile has engaged targets and all the mission objectives have been met.
With IAF's active participation, DRDO has developed the missile and integrated the weapon on Su-30 and other air platforms. Hindustan Aeronautics Limited , Nasik has been instrumental in the modification of a number of Su-30 aircrafts for Astra weapon integration and support during trials. More than 50 private and public sector industries are involved in the development and production of different sub-systems of the missile. The missile is expected to be inducted into IAF in 2019.
Raksha Mantri Smt Nirmala Sitharaman congratulated DRDO, IAF, HAL and associated industries for successful trials.
SRR/Nampi/Rajib
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Prime Minister's Office
Share your thought for inclusion in PM’s Independence Day speech
MyGov  has asked for input from the people that can be part of the Prime Minister’s speech on the upcoming Independence Day.
A PMO tweet tagging a MyGov post said
“Your thoughts will reverberate from the ramparts of the Red Fort.
What are your inputs for PM @narendramodi ’s speech on 15th August? Share them on @mygovindia .”
DS
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Prime Minister's Office
PM bids farewell to retiring Rajya Sabha Members
“When experienced members leave, the House feels the loss”
“The House reflects the sentiments, spirit, pain and ecstasy of entire country”
The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi today commended the contributions of all the retiring Members of the Rajya Sabha, and wished them well for the future. The Prime Minister noted the value of the experience of the retiring members and said that with their departure, responsibility of the remaining members increases as they have to take forward the story of the outgoing members.
The Prime Minister said that the House reflects the sentiments, spirit, pain and ecstasy of all the parts of the country. Shri Modi said, while it is true that as a member we contribute a lot to the House but it is also true that the House also gives a lot to us as the House gives opportunity to feel the current and systems of the myriad hued society of India every day.
The Prime Minister said that may be some members are retiring from the House but they will take their rich experience to all the corners of the country.
The Prime Minister also suggested that the members should pen down their memories as a useful reference for the future generations. The members shape and impact the direction of the country, their memories can be used for the development of the country in an institutionalized manner, he said.
The Prime Minister requested the retiring members to inspire the people in the celebration of Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav.
Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution
BIS makes 80% Concession on Certification/Minimum Marking Fee for Micro Scale Units.
Additionally 10% concession on certification for units located in NE States to continue
BIS to enhance Market Surveillance of BIS Certified Products
BIS Initiatives aim to Promote Quality Consciousness among the consumers: Sh. Piyush Goyal
Under the guidance of Sh. Piyush Goyal, Hon'ble Minister of Commerce and Industry and Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution and Textiles, the Bureau of Indian Standards  has taken significant steps towards enhancing the quality and safety of products in India. Sh. Piyush Goyal chaired a review meeting of BIS activities which was attended by Secretary, DoCA, DG, BIS and officials of DoCA, Govt of India and BIS. In the meeting at Manak Bhawan, New Delhi on 03rd March 2023, he directed BIS to undertake the following actions:
o BIS shall augment the testing infrastructure in the country.
o It would increase the frequency of product testing and Market Surveillance depending on the criticality of components used for the consumer safety. BIS should also increase the frequency of lab inspection.
o BIS shall enhance Market Surveillance for different products such as Pressure Cooker, Helmets, and other consumer products to ensure product safety and to bring quality consciousness in the country.
o BIS shall map standards against various government schemes and produce booklets in simple and local languages to enhance accessibility and develop a culture of quality consciousness among citizens.
o BIS has proposed Quality Control Orders  for 663 products in the coming time. Currently, there are 462 products covered under QCOs.
o BIS shall involve college students/NCC Cadets/Scouts in their efforts to develop quality consciousness and culture in the country.
In an effort to promote quality culture in micro scale units, BIS is providing an 80% concession on the certification/minimum marking fee across various product certification schemes of BIS. Additionally, units located in the North-East will continue to receive an extra 10% concession.
Also, starting from 1st April 2023, the sale of only gold jewellery with HUID shall be permitted.
Sh. Goyal stated, "We are committed to ensuring that all products in India meet the highest quality and safety standards. These measures shall promote micro scale units, enhance the testing infrastructure, and develop a culture of quality consciousness among citizens."
Ministry of Communications
BharatNet Project: Tender invited for Public Private Partnership
New tender to cover 3.61 lakh Villages in 16 States
PPP for a concession period of 30 years
Government to provide Viability Gap Funding of Rs. 19,041 crores
Bharat Broadband Network Limited , on behalf of Department of Telecommunication,  has invited global tender for the Development  of BharatNet through Public Private Partnership model in 9 separate packages across 16 states for a concession period of 30 years. Under this project, the government will provide a maximum Grant of Rs. 19041 Crore as Viability Gap Funding.
The Project shall cover an estimated 3.61 lakh Villages  across Kerala, Karnataka, Rajasthan, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, West Bengal, Assam, Meghalaya, Manipur, Mizoram, Tripura, Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh.
The existing BharatNet was connecting all the Gram Panchayats  of the country by laying of OFC  between Block and GPs. The scope of BharatNet has now been enhanced to connect all the Inhabited Villages of the country, approx. 6.43 lakhs .
The scope of work under BharatNet PPP Project includes:
- Connecting the remaining unconnected GPs under BharatNet project  and all the inhabited Villages beyond the GPs.
- Upgradation of the existing BharatNet Network from Linear to Ring topology.
- Operation and Maintenance  and Utilisation of the existing as well as the newly deployed network.
The existing BharatNet network across these 16 States will become part of this Project. Last Date of submission of Tender bid is 24/08/2021
The project will be executed through a Design, Build, Finance, Operate & Transfer  concession on PPP framework. The idea is to harness private sector’s capability, capacity, and efficiency for O&M, utilization and revenue generation to make BharatNet more effective and accessible. This would also serve the objective of BharatNet to have social inclusion, through effective delivery of Govt. schemes and citizen centric services using broadband, and also to strengthen e- Governance, e -Education, Tele medicine, e- Banking etc.
BBNL is carrying out an open, competitive bidding process with single stage, two-part bidding  for the selection of the Bidder for awarding the Project. The bids for each of the package need to be submitted separately.
Tender documents will be available for downloading from 20.7.2021, 15.00 Hrs. from CPP portal www.etenders.gov.in. The document can also be viewed from BBNL website http://www.bbnl.nic.in.
Once awarded, the selected Bidder shall create a Special Purpose Vehicle , sign the agreement, achieve Financial Closure and undertake creation, upgradation, operation & maintenance and utilisation of BharatNet across the concession period.
The BharatNet infrastructure is a middle mile network that is presently leased to service providers for providing affordable high-speed broadband to rural population – individuals, households and institutions. BharatNet is Govt. of India’s flagship project and is considered to be the backbone of ‘Digital India’ aiming to reduce the digital divide between urban and rural India.
Prime Minister's Office
PM condoles the passing away of noted Gandhian Shakuntala Choudhary
The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi has expressed deep grief over the passing away of noted Gandhian Shakuntala Choudhary Ji.
In a tweet, the Prime Minister said;
"Shakuntala Choudhary Ji will be remembered for her lifelong efforts to promote Gandhian values. Her noble work at the Sarania Ashram positively impacted many lives. Saddened by her passing away. My thoughts are with her family and countless admirers. Om Shanti."
Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change
Cabinet approves MoU between India and Switzerland on Technical Cooperation in the field of Climate Change and Environment
The Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has given ex-post facto approval to the Memorandum of Understanding  between India and Switzerland on Technical Cooperation in the field of Climate Change and Environment. The MoU was signed in Switzerland on 13th September, 2019.
Major impact:
Environmental degradation falls on the socially and economically disadvantaged, more heavily than the better of sections of the society. Any effort at thwarting environmental degradation would lead to environmental equity in the sense of availability of sound environmental resources to all sections of the society.
Benefits:
The MoU will enable establishment and promotion of closer and long-term cooperation between the two countries in the field of environmental protection and management of natural resources on the basis of equity, reciprocity and mutual benefits, taking into account the applicable laws and legal provisions in each country. It will enhance public accountability by way of exchange of information and technology between the two countries. Further, It is expected to bring in the latest technologies and best practices suited for bringing about better environment protection, better conservation, better management of climate change and wildlife protection/conservation.
Salient features:
- Capacity-building on Climate Change and Sustainable Water management;
- Sustainable Forest Management;
- Sustainable development of mountainous regions;
- Environmentally sustainable and resilient urban development;
- Addressing issues of Air, land and water pollution;
- Focussing on Clean and Renewable Energy; and
- Climate change risk management.
Special Service and Features
Electronic Interlocking System at five more railway stations soon
Railway will complete the state-of-the-art electronic interlocking system in five more stations as per international safety standards before March 2023,said Shri R Mukund,Thiruvananthapuram Divisional Railway Manager. He was addressing the 76th Independence Day celebrations organized Thiruvananthapuram division of by Southern Railway. Electronic interlocking at Alappuzha and Mararikulam was completed this year. It was completed at Perinad and Shastankota in the last financial year.
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Ministry of Law and Justice
Press Communique
Vide Notification of even No. dated 27th August, 2021, in exercise of the powers conferred by Article 223 of the Constitution of India, the President is pleased to appoint Shri Justice Vineet Kothari, senior-most Judge of Gujarat High Court, to perform the duties of the office of the Chief Justice of that High Court with effect from the date Shri Justice Vikram Nath relinquishes the charge as Chief Justice of the Gujarat High Court consequent upon his appointment as Judge of the Supreme Court of India and Shri Justice Rashmin Manharbhai Chhaya, senior-most Judge of Gujarat High Court, to perform the duties of the office of the Chief Justice of Gujarat High Court with effect from September, 2021 consequent upon the retirement of Shri Justice Vineet Kothari.
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Ministry of Health and Family Welfare
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India’s Cumulative COVID-19 Vaccination Coverage exceeds 199.27 Cr
Over 3.76 Cr 1st dose vaccines administered for age group 12-14 years
India's Active caseload currently stands at 1,36,076
20,139 new cases reported in the last 24 hours
Recovery Rate currently stands at 98.49%
Weekly Positivity Rate is presently at 4.37%
India’s COVID-19 vaccination coverage has exceeded 199.27 Cr  as per provisional reports till 7 am today. This has been achieved through 2,61,97,150 sessions.
COVID-19 vaccination for the age group 12-14 years was started on 16 March, 2022. So far, more than 3.76 Cr  adolescents have been administered with the first dose of COVID-19 vaccine. Similarly, the COVID-19 precaution dose administration for age group 18-59 years also started from 10th April, 2022 onwards.
The break-up of the cumulative figure as per the provisional report till 7 am today include:
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Cumulative Vaccine Dose Coverage
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HCWs
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1st Dose
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1,04,10,027
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2nd Dose
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1,00,77,006
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Precaution Dose
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59,51,763
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FLWs
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1st Dose
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1,84,26,752
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2nd Dose
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1,76,46,995
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Precaution Dose
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1,12,38,648
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Age Group 12-14 years
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1st Dose
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3,76,98,593
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2nd Dose
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2,56,32,231
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Age Group 15-18 years
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1st Dose
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6,07,62,753
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2nd Dose
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4,98,22,795
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Age Group 18-44 years
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1st Dose
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55,87,50,479
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2nd Dose
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50,50,43,015
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Precaution Dose
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42,37,755
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Age Group 45-59 years
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1st Dose
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20,35,44,220
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2nd Dose
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19,43,63,195
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Precaution Dose
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31,51,234
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Over 60 years
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1st Dose
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12,73,41,249
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2nd Dose
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12,14,46,533
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Precaution Dose
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2,71,82,316
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Precaution Dose
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5,17,61,716
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Total
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1,99,27,27,559
India’s Active Caseload currently stands at 1,36,076. Active cases now constitute 0.31% of the country's total Positive Cases.
Consequently, India’s recovery rate stands at 98.49%. 16,482 patients have recovered in the last 24 hours and the cumulative tally of recovered patients  is now at 4,30,28,356.
20,139 new cases were reported in the last 24 hours.
The last 24 hours saw a total of 3,94,774 COVID-19 tests being conducted. India has so far conducted over 86.81 Cr  cumulative tests.
Weekly Positivity Rate in the country currently stands at 4.37% and the Daily Positivity rate is reported to be 5.10%.
Ministry of Home Affairs
Industrial Policy For J&K
The Government of India has notified the New Central Sector Scheme for Industrial Development of Union Territory of Jammu & Kashmir  on 19/02/2021 to attract capital investments in J&K with a financial outlay of Rs 28,400 crore . The Scheme provides four types of incentives namely  Capital Investment Incentive,  Capital Interest Subvention,  Goods & Services Tax Linked Incentive and  Working Capital Interest Subvention. The Government of Jammu & Kashmir has reported receiving proposals for investments worth approximately Rs.51,000 crore so far.
Moreover, in order to boost industrial development in UT, the Government of J&K has also notified the J&K Industrial Policy, J&K Private Industrial Estate Development Policy and J&K Industrial Land Allotment Policy.
This was stated by the Minister of State for Home Affairs, Shri Nityanand Rai in a written reply to a question in the Rajya Sabha today.
PIB Headquarters
VELANKANNI SPECIAL TRAINS
Southern railway will run special fare special trains in Kochuveli - Karaikkal sector via Nagercoil to clear extra rush of passengers during summer season.
Train No. 06044, Kochuveli- Karaikkal weekly special fare Train will start at 15.15 hrs from Kochuveli on Wednesdays starting from 08th March to 28th June 2017, to reach Karaikkal at 03.45 hrs on next day. In the return direction, Train No.06043, Karaikkal- Kochuveli special Fare weekly trains will start at 22.45 hrs on Thursdays , starting from 09th March to 29th June 2017 and will reach Kochuveli at 12.25 hrs, on Fridays.
With a composition of Two 2AC, Three 3AC, 11 sleeperclass and 2 General Coaches these trains will have stoppages at Trivandrum, Nagercoil Town Tirunelveli, Kovilpatti, Satur, Virudunagar, Madurai, Dindugal, Thiruchirappally, Thanjavur, Thiruvarur, Nagapattinam and Nagore stations.
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Ministry of Health and Family Welfare
COVID-19 UPDATE
199.47 cr vaccine doses have been administered so far under Nationwide Vaccination Drive
India's Active caseload currently stands at 1,39,073
Active cases stand at 0.32%
Recovery Rate currently at 98.48%
16,994 recoveries in the last 24 hours increases Total Recoveries to 4,30,45,350
20,038 new cases recorded in the last 24 hours
Daily positivity rate 
Weekly Positivity Rate 
86.86 cr Total Tests conducted so far; 4,50,820 tests conducted in the last 24 hours
Ministry of Home Affairs
Union Home Minister, Shri Amit Shah Expressed his Gratitude to the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi on Two Cabinet Decisions
The Special Package of Rs. 520crore Under Deen Dayal Antyodaya Rashtriya Ajeevika Mission for Jammu & Kashmirand Ladakhwill Give a Huge Boost to the Economy and Empower Over 10 lakh Women in Rural Areas
“A Landmark Day in the Indian Education Sector! Modi Cabinet has Approved the Implementation of The 'Strengthening Teaching-Learning and Results for States  Project' Worth Rs. 5,718 Crore”
“Breaking the Orthodox Barriers, PM Modi’s Government’s stars Project Will Be Based on Learning with Understanding and will Help Improve Quality Of Education”
Union Home Minister, Shri Amit Shah in a series of tweets expressed his gratitude to the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi on two Cabinet decisions taken today.
Shri Amit Shah said the special package of Rs. 520crore under the Deen Dayal Antyodaya Rashtriya Ajeevika Mission for Jammu & Kashmirand Ladakh will give a huge boost to the economy and empower over 10lakh women in rural areas by giving them livelihood and making them self-reliant.
The Union Home Minister said the STARS project is“A landmark day in the Indian education sector! The Modi cabinet has approved the implementation of the 'Strengthening Teaching-Learning and Results for States  project' worth Rs. 5,718 crore. Aligned with the objectives of NEP, it will focus on Quality Based Learning Outcomes.
Shri Amit Shad added that “Breaking the orthodox barriers, Prime Minister Modi’s government’s STARS project will be based on learning with understanding. It will help in improving the quality of education by providing capacity building exercises for the teachers and focusing on monitoring of the school education system.”
Ministry of Power
Various schemes implemented by Government of India to achieve uninterrupted power supply to all households
Government of India had been helping the States through its various schemes including Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Gram Jyoti Yojana  and Integrated Power Development Scheme  to achieve the objective of providing uninterrupted power supply to all households. Under the recently launched Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme , the State Power Distribution Utilities are financially supported to strengthen distribution infrastructure and the fund releases under the scheme is linked to initiation of reforms and achievement of results that also includes trajectories for improving electricity supply hours to urban and rural consumers.
As per the information made available by the States on National Power Portal , the supply hours in urban areas and rural areas as on 8.7.2022, was 23.78  & 21.48  respectively.
Under Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Gram Jyoti Yojana  and thereafter under Pradhan Mantri Sahaj Bijli Har Ghar Yojana , since now closed on 31.03.2022, all States had already declared electrification of all Villages as on 28th April, 2018 and all willing Households as on 31st March, 2019 respectively.
While a total of 18374 Villages were electrified under DDUGJY, a total of 2.86 crore Households were electrified under the aegis of Saubhagya including additional households in two tranches that became willing after 31.03.2019 but were unwilling for electrification earlier.
While fresh arisings of new households is a continuous process and electrification of such households is expected to be taken care of by the Distribution Utilities, the Government of India stands committed to help the States electrify all households identified before Saubhagya. In this respect, the Government of India has recently issued guidelines for their electrification under the Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme . States have been advised to pose their DPRs to the Ministry of Power in this regard.
This information was given by Shri R.K Singh Union Minister for Power and MNRE in a written reply in Lok Sabha today.
Prime Minister's Office
PM remembers Swami Vivekananda on his Jayanti
The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi has remembered Swami Vivekananda, on his Jayanti.
“Arise, awake and stop not till the goal is reached. Remembering these powerful words, and the rich thoughts of the venerable Swami Vivekananda on his Jayanti. He emphasised on the ideals of service and renunciation. His belief in Yuva Shakti was unwavering.
The thoughts and ideals of SwamiVivekananda inspire and energise crores of Indians, particularly our youth. It is from him that we draw the motivation of building an India that is strong, vibrant, inclusive and an India that takes global leadership in several areas”, the Prime Minister said.